You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
This HaBO is from Jam on the Brain, who is looking for a Mills & Boon title:
The book I’m thinking about is a Mills and Boon (Harlequin).
The heroine works for the hero. The heroine has a male best friend who has a girlfriend that thinks these besties since childhood are having an affair (or that at least it’s unrequited on heroine’s part). Boss finds out and says let’s tell everyone we’re dating (🙄). There’s a scene in which male bestie barges in on a weekend to do laundry and I remember something about quince or damson jam. Climax scene is in an elevator in the office I think.
I’ve looked everywhere and can’t seem to find the right one.
Help me HABO friends, you’re my only hope.
Would love to know how jam is involved!
The Boss’s Marriage Arrangement
by
Penny Jordan
Add To: Goodreads to-read list →
This book is available from:
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying
purchases.
We also may use affiliate
links in our posts, as well. Thanks!
I would also love to know more about this jam.
Today I learned Damson is another name for prune plum, which can indeed be made into delicious jam, almost the consistency of apple butter. Quince jam is more marmalade-y, at least the recipe my grandma made… I’m getting all nostalgic and mushy now, so totally see how jam could lead to Feelings TM and romance.
I can’t believe this worked, but I searched google books for the phrase “damson jam” with Harlequin as the publisher and I’m pretty sure “The Boss’s Marriage Arrangement” by Penny Jordan is the book in question.
https://smile.amazon.com/Bosss-Marriage-Arrangement-Penny-Jordan-ebook/dp/B07FYHNYQP/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=boss%27s+marriage+arrangement&qid=1641323202&sprefix=boss%27s+marriage+arra%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-2
Escapeologist
I don’t think damsons are the same as prune plums, they are far smaller, around an inch or so long fresh, where prunes are longer than that dried. Also damsons are distinctively, mouth puckeringly sour, it is part of what makes them so wonderful for jam if you prefer your jams sweet sour rather than just sweet; I do and damson jam is probably my favourite. The jam they make can be texturally like other jams, to make it like apple butter you need to boil off the excess water just as you do for apple butter. You can go further if you boil off even more water to make damson cheese, which you pot up in straight sided jars so you can turn it out to serve with cheese proper or cold meats as you would quince paste (membrillo). I have made both damson jam and cheese, I like both though I only make damson jam regularly, damson cheese is more work and I only have a few suitable jars, plus it needs to mature for at least seven years (!!) according to the old recipes, so you certainly don’t need to make it every year.
Nice sleuthing, Dawn!
When I hear the word “damson,” all I can think of is Stephen Fry’s character in “Blackadder Back and Forth” who uses “damson” as a euphemism for “damn,” as in “You’d have to be damson careful.” He uses it that way a number of times.
Oh my goodness. Thanks Dawn this is it exactly!! Just bought the kindle version, shipped to the end and yes!!
Thank you ♥️♥️